While I agree that it would be wrong, at this time, for the General Assembly to assign 90 additional judgeships to Cook County’s 15 subcircuits, I take issue with the tone of the Tribune’s May 13 editorial “Political mischief with the courts.”
You say, “By shrinking the boundaries of judicial elections, (the General Assembly) assured that local political leaders would control the elections. And that is what has happened.” Additional editorial comments about the alleged poor quality of “several” of the 121 judges elected from subcircuits since 1992 leave the distinct impression that the Tribune’s editorial board is not impressed with the quality of any judges elected from subcircuits.
The Tribune fails to note that “several” of the judges elected from subcircuits since 1992 are among the best qualified and most highly respected judges in Cook County. I could name some of them, but I won’t for fear that naming some of them as outstanding might be interpreted as meaning that I think those not named are not outstanding. Every judge deserves to be judged on his or her own record. Quit painting with such a broad brush!
If the Tribune thinks that several of the judges elected from subcircuits are “grossly unqualified,” why don’t you tell your readers who they are and why the Tribune considers them grossly unqualified, rather than implying that everyone elected from a subcircuit is suspect.
